OCTOBER 31: Is The Obama Ground Game Over-Rated? Colorado GOP’s Widening Turnout Lead Suggests, Yes.

UPDATE: The Secretary of State just sent out updated figures, slightly higher than those we reported earlier today. New numbers below.

Welcome to the Halloween edition of the Colorado Peak Politics ballot return report. It’s no trick, another day of ballot returns show Colorado Republicans are being treated to another day of positive numbers, extending their lead from 2.8% yesterday to 3% today.

It looks like the enthusiasm on the Republican side is swamping whatever advantage the much-ballyhooed Obama ground game has built.

According to the Secretary of State, ballot returns as of this fine morning are:

Total Votes: 1,150,698

R – 439,269 (38.2%)

D – 404,870 (35.2%)

U – 295,122 (25.6%)

In 2008, Democrats got out to an early lead, with a 40-33 advantage after the first week, but Republicans eventually closed the gap, slightly outnumbering ballots returned when it was all said and done.

This time around, Republicans have taken the early lead and appear to be building on that advantage as time goes on.

In the three big swing counties of Colorado Republicans are leading by decent margins. In Jefferson County, Republican ballots outnumber Democrats by 6,160. In Larimer County, the GOP retains a 4,624 lead. For Arapahoe County, Democrats have sent in 3,209 less ballots than Republicans.

——–

Check out the Oct. 31 county-by-county breakdown of ballots returned by party registration here.

Colorado provides a clear picture in the surge in momentum for Romney and plunging enthusiasm for the failed and incompetent Obama. The mood of America has unambiguously changed since 2010. The evidence of a failed economic recovery has now been accompanied by Obama's failed coverup–Benghazigate. All of this has been accompanied by record big government spending and record deficits of $5.5 trillion. What more does anyone need to know?

We Americans need to take our country back. This is a battle we can't afford to lose–make it happen.

These figures are encouraging, but they also could be misleading. We don't know the vote count yet on those returned ballots. With 295,122 Unaffiliated ballots returned, we just don't know who is ahead or behind in this race. And we don't know how many voters who have returned ballots might have voted for another party candidate.

Thank you Colorado – thank you for coming back into the fold as we were wondering what the heck happened four years ago. Sensibility once again prevails after "hope and change" turned into four years of "cope with pain."

Now is the time to vote for jobs (not welfare), a better housing market (not more foreclosures), a fair tax (not scaring small businesses from hiring) and realistic health care costs (not rising 40% in two years).